this post was submitted on 29 Jun 2025
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Linux Gaming

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Today, I switched the last of my Windows machines to Linux: my gaming PC. I've been using Linux on servers for many years but was a bit apprehensive for gaming.

Turns out it just... works. Just installed steam and turned proton on, have zero performance or other issues. I'm using Ubuntu 25.04 for the 6.14 kernels NT emulation performance tweaks. Aside from there not being a catalyst driver for it and so I can't undervolt my card everything is great.

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[–] SavvyBeardedFish@reddthat.com 87 points 2 days ago (1 children)

... I can't undervolt my card...

People usually use/recommend LACT for undervolting/overlocking on Linux

[–] truthfultemporarily@feddit.org 26 points 2 days ago

Cool I will try it thanks.

[–] endeavor@sopuli.xyz 47 points 2 days ago (1 children)

I had same experience. Linux install was less headache compared to windows since the only drivers I needed were nvidia.

It just works. Crazy how windows makes you forget that.

[–] Sammy@lemmy.dbzer0.com 22 points 2 days ago (3 children)

Fr try reinstalling Windows on a laptop and watch, helplessly, as the installation medium comes with zero drivers. Multi-billion dollar company my ass...

[–] endeavor@sopuli.xyz 22 points 2 days ago (8 children)

Installing linux: step 1: install linux. (If distro eithout nvidia drivers, step 2: run 3 commands in console or use discover)

Installing windows: step 1: install windows. Step 2:activate windows, step 3: install drivers for every piece of hardware attatched to your pc, step 4 use cmd, regedit and/or sketchy download to debloat windows

[–] afaix@lemmy.world 17 points 2 days ago (3 children)

Step 5. Watch it reboot overnight and download even more useless bloat

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[–] BastingChemina@slrpnk.net 8 points 1 day ago

By installing drivers do you mean: search the manufacturers website online, navigate through all the scam website to try to find the legit one, dig through the website to find your hardware, download a random executable file, execute it, select next next next, no I don't want to install mcafee, next, install.

[–] swizzlestick@lemmy.zip 6 points 1 day ago (1 children)

To its credit (of which there is little), Windows can handle most things these days just fine without externally obtained drivers. Gradually improving since 7 onwards. The only sore spots really are proper gfx drivers and printers. 10 and beyond will also gracefully handle being drive-swapped into completely different hardware.

If it's a reinstall, activation is automatic for OEM licences.

Step 4, yes, what a shitshow. Way too many hoops and hurdles to go through just to get a functional OS without the bloat and guff.

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[–] NewNewAccount@lemmy.world 4 points 1 day ago

Both Microsoft and Nvidia are multi-trillion dollar companies.

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[–] CosmicTurtle0@lemmy.dbzer0.com 25 points 2 days ago (3 children)

Just in case you didn't know, odd numbered Ubuntu versions (in your case 25) are considered short term releases and won't be maintained beyond a year or two.

Unless you really need that version, you'll want to install 26 when it comes out next April (upgrade should be very seamless).

Even numbered versions are supported long term, often for several years.

[–] truthfultemporarily@feddit.org 14 points 2 days ago (2 children)
[–] pinball_wizard@lemmy.zip 17 points 1 day ago* (last edited 18 hours ago) (2 children)

You made the right call, for your situation.

They're just letting you know that you will want to apply each annual upgrade when they come out, to ensure your system stays secure.

This may contrast with any Ubuntu-running friends you may have, who may not be applying updates annually.

Once you've upgraded to ~~28 (in ~ 2028)~~ 26.04, you can safely skip the next four years of upgrades, if you feel like it, because ~~28~~ it will ~~(probably)~~ be the next Long Term Support (LTS) release.

[–] foo@feddit.uk 5 points 20 hours ago (1 children)

LTS for Ubuntu are every two years; April of the even years. Next LTS will be 26.04, then 28.04 etc.

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[–] someacnt@sh.itjust.works 3 points 16 hours ago

TIL that Ubuntu release denotes the year and month. I thought it was just quirky versioning..

[–] yoevli@lemmy.world 8 points 2 days ago (3 children)

Assuming you're playing games through Proton rather than vanilla Wine, kernels before 6.14 already have fsync which is used by Proton and effectively does the same thing as ntsync.

[–] truthfultemporarily@feddit.org 6 points 2 days ago (1 children)

Good info, but I guess I just upgrade my way to 2604

Don't get too hung up on it. It was an fyi not a "stop what you're doing you newb!"

We need people to test the latest, bleeding edge. So you're helping with that! But since you're new to Linux I wanted to make sure you knew what you were getting yourself into.

It's not that odd numbers are less stable. It's more that they aren't supported for long term. Many of the lessons learned are pushed to the next version though so either way you're doing good.

I'm not a PC gamer so for me stamina and longevity matter more to me than bleeding edge technology.

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[–] criticon@lemmy.ca 4 points 1 day ago (1 children)

Can't you just upgrade to the next release? (It's been more than 10 years since I installed/used Ubuntu)

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[–] Joelk111@lemmy.world 21 points 1 day ago* (last edited 1 day ago) (5 children)

I moved to Kubuntu recently. I'm overall happier, but I've had a number of pain points.

  1. I bought DaVinci Resolve thinking they supported Linux. They do, just very poorly. Figuring out how to get that up and running was a faff. Davinci Resolve also doesn't support AAC audio on MP4 files on Linux, so I had to write a script to transcode the audio of media to WAV. It also doesn't play nice with window management. Overall, using resolve has been a huge pain.

  2. I use Insta360s software just to stitch 360 video, getting that set up with bottles wasn't the most straightforward but it works now.

  3. I still haven't figured out Fusion360, and I really don't want to spend the time learning a new software. I learned it before I'd started making an effort to only use cross-platform tools.

  4. I bought the Xbox Store version of Forza Horizon 5 so I could play it on my PC and Xbox. I no longer have the Xbox, and I'd have to re-buy it on Steam if I wanted to play it.

  5. My Index just isn't detected on Ubuntu. It was on Windows. I've tried a bunch of things, but it just doesn't show up, so I haven't been able to play VR. It might have a bad cable, but I'm not sure. Weird that it showed up before and doesn't in Kubuntu.

Linux is all about finding alternatives. There is an alternate workflow, but you might have to deal with inconveniences or put in effort to learn something new. It's been a lot of work. Also, I might need to dual boot windows to play VR stuff.

[–] vividspecter@aussie.zone 5 points 1 day ago* (last edited 1 day ago)

Have a look at the Linux VR Adventures Wiki for possible VR solutions.

EDIT: And this compatibility site akin to ProtonDB I just found out about.

[–] untorquer@lemmy.world 4 points 1 day ago

Fusion isn't going to function fully. I think the cloud integration pipeline messes with it. You're better off with OnShape.

FreeCAD is fine with addons but it's just not streamlined in my experience.

If it weren't for CAD I'd have a linux workstation.

[–] Symphonic@lemmy.world 3 points 1 day ago

+1 for onshape. I use both fusion and onshape. I used to be a diehard fusion user but onshape has won me over.

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[–] user224@lemmy.sdf.org 17 points 1 day ago (5 children)

Holy hell, the Ubuntu ISO is 6.3GB now. Soon it may not even fit onto a DL DVD.

[–] zipzoopaboop@lemmynsfw.com 24 points 1 day ago (1 children)

We've moved on to usb sticks

[–] daggermoon@lemmy.world 7 points 1 day ago (2 children)

You've moved on to usb sticks

[–] y0kai@lemmy.dbzer0.com 12 points 1 day ago (3 children)
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[–] squaresinger@lemmy.world 6 points 1 day ago (3 children)

Who on earth still burns disks (other than pizzas) in 2025?

[–] daggermoon@lemmy.world 4 points 1 day ago (1 children)

Me, they retain data alot longer than any solid state data storage device. They are much more usable for archival storage. Also I burn CD's to listen to music on my Stereo.

[–] squaresinger@lemmy.world 5 points 1 day ago (8 children)

According to Google, burned CDs and DVDs retain data for 5-10 years.

SSDs are between a few years and a few decades, depending on the age, type and quality of the SSD. Same goes for USB sticks.

HDDs are between 10 and 20 years.

Tape drives are at 30+ years.

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[–] cRazi_man@europe.pub 10 points 1 day ago (3 children)

How many floppies is that?

[–] don@lemmy.ca 7 points 1 day ago

One, at least.

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[–] Blackmist@feddit.uk 3 points 1 day ago

Who still uses DVD to install anything?

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[–] towerful@programming.dev 16 points 2 days ago

Yeh, Linux doesn't have to be scary these days.

[–] Rooty@lemmy.world 7 points 13 hours ago

I'm glad gamers are finally escaping Microsoft's grasp. The latest corporate bloatware is simply too ineffective for users that are always looking to squeeze as much oomph out of their machines as possible.

[–] Jayb151@lemmy.world 6 points 1 day ago (1 children)

My only hangup is installing repacks or modding games. It for sure works, but it's a bigger headache. I use mint on my daily driver laptop otherwise.

[–] seralth@lemmy.world 3 points 13 hours ago

Iv always just run the modding software in the same wine/proton instance as the game and it just works like on windows.

Other then wabbajack for Bethesda games because the devs behind that are fucking asshats who break their shit on purpose if you try to use it outside how they want you to use it.

It's always been very easy to mod.

[–] the_q@lemmy.zip 4 points 2 days ago

Welcome and enjoy!

[–] CodeBlooded@programming.dev 4 points 17 hours ago (5 children)

What games are you playing and what hardware are you running?

Linux has come a long way regarding the ability to easily play games made to run on Windows. It’s never been so easy and well performing. However, in my experience, it’s not quite “just works” yet. Yes, some Windows games will “just work,” but for now that’s still the exception to the rule in my experience.

I use Arch btw, with a i9-9900 and an Nvidia RTX 2070. I still have to tweak settings, research what others are tweaking, I have a few hours of research and tinkering invested into stopping up close jitters in VR(still unresolved), my graphic settings have to be lower than normal for decent performance and I do not enjoy the same frames I’ve enjoyed on Windows with this same machine.

I could probably get some better performance squeezed out of these games, but it’s going to cost me time and tinkering.

tl;dr I don’t think we’re in “just works” territory yet, but we’re getting closer and the progress over the recent years has been amazing. I can’t wait to be rid of Windows forever.

[–] JackbyDev@programming.dev 3 points 13 hours ago

I don’t think we’re in “just works” territory yet, but we’re getting closer

Based on the types of things you're talking about, Windows and macOS are also not "just works." I have to do stuff like that periodically for a lot of games regardless of OS.

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[–] Aceticon@lemmy.dbzer0.com 4 points 1 day ago

I had the exact same experience: been doing Linux since the 90s, both for fun and professionaly - the latter mainly in pure server configurations - finaly got around to moving my home PC (which is mainly for gaming) to Linux (using Pop!OS, since I have a Nvidia graphics card and it just supports it out of the box) and it just worked.

Only problem I have with it is that on startup of X I usually get a blank screen and have to switch my monitor OFF and back ON again.

Oh, and startup times are a fraction of Windows startup times (my Windows 10 work machine literally takes longer to wake up from hybernation than my home Linux PC takes to cold boot, and they have equivalent SSDs.

I think I got more hassle with Windows than I do with Linux.

[–] Pofski@lemmy.world 3 points 2 days ago (1 children)

I personally live linix, and I am trying switching over in the house in such a way that the rest of the household can use it with as little issues as possible. That being said, I need to ask for some help with a couple of programs that are vital for us but that I am having a hard time to replace. If anybody has any suggestion for the following I would really be grateful. -fusion 360 -lychee slicer (i can install it but unable to make holes in hollowed out forms) -copy to usb for big files without the system crashing (copy stops)

  • printer keeps disappearing after some time.
  • label printer setup
[–] Attacker94@lemmy.world 4 points 2 days ago (6 children)

I would recommend making your own post to get more help. On the cad side of things the alternatives are free cad, on shape, or blender; I don't have that much experience with them, but just based on my fusion experience, I would assume they can all do the same things, just in completely different ways since fusion had it's own special way for literally everything.

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It pleases me to read these things. I worked for M$ and coupled with more intense reasons I left Win/OSX about 10 years ago, and have never looked back. Carry the flame.

[–] MuttMutt@lemmy.world 3 points 1 day ago

Made the switch myself about a year ago. Installed 24.04 LTS and it has done very well.

My main issues have been dealing with a few things I run not playing the nicest with ubuntu or when trying to flash ESP8266 or ESP32 boards through the web browser.

Gaming wise everything I have installed via Steam works fine though sometimes needs a reboot.

Overall been happy with it and glad to get off the forced upgrade with bloatware train.

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